Last Modified: Wednesday, December 19, 2012 at 5:08 p.m.

The single-engine plane was partially submerged in about six feet of water about 400 yards offshore.

The pilot, who suffered superficial injuries, took off from Venice Municipal Airport at about 1:30 for a pleasure ride to test the airplane, according to Sarasota police Capt. Wade McVay.

Fifteen minutes into the flight, the pilot knew he was in trouble, and knew he was not going to make it to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, McVay said. The pilot considered landing on Lido Key but ended up crash-landing the plane in the Gulf.

A lifeguard on a water scooter ferried the pilot back to the beach, where a crowd of about 50 gathered to watch the rescue effort.

Mike Pesaturo has seen a lot during his 32 years serving as a lifeguard, but never a plane crash.

“I saw him coming in towards us and he started getting lower, and then he hit the water,” Pesaturo said. “I paddled out to him. He said his engine failed.”

The pilot, whom police did not identify but said was the aircraft's owner, was sitting on top of his plane when Pesaturo reached him.

“He wasn't hurt. He was just a little shook and upset about the plane,” Pesaturo said.

Sarasota's Mike Allen also saw the plane circling the Gulf at about 1,000 feet.

“Then he turned toward the beach and kept getting lower. He leveled off at about 50 feet, flew straight, tilted left, and then cartwheeled into the water. We saw pieces flying off but the pilot appeared OK,” Allen said.

About 20 gallons of fuel and six quarts of oil were in the airplane, McVay said. Police limited access to the crash site until the Federal Aviation Administration arrived.

According to an FAA database, the plane is registered to Osprey resident Frank Schurgers.

Classified as an experimental aircraft, the biplane is a Wragg George Skybolt with a Lycoming engine. It was “amateur built” in May 2003 and has valid air-worthiness certificates.

<p><em>SARASOTA</em> - A bright yellow experimental biplane crashed into the Gulf of Mexico off Lido Beach Wednesday afternoon.</p><p>The pilot, the only person on board, was not seriously injured. </p><p>The single-engine plane was partially submerged in about six feet of water about 400 yards offshore.</p><p>The pilot, who suffered superficial injuries, took off from Venice Municipal Airport at about 1:30 for a pleasure ride to test the airplane, according to Sarasota police Capt. Wade McVay.</p><p>Fifteen minutes into the flight, the pilot knew he was in trouble, and knew he was not going to make it to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, McVay said. The pilot considered landing on Lido Key but ended up crash-landing the plane in the Gulf.</p><p>A lifeguard on a water scooter ferried the pilot back to the beach, where a crowd of about 50 gathered to watch the rescue effort.</p><p>Mike Pesaturo has seen a lot during his 32 years serving as a lifeguard, but never a plane crash.</p><p>“I saw him coming in towards us and he started getting lower, and then he hit the water,” Pesaturo said. “I paddled out to him. He said his engine failed.”</p><p>The pilot, whom police did not identify but said was the aircraft's owner, was sitting on top of his plane when Pesaturo reached him.</p><p>“He wasn't hurt. He was just a little shook and upset about the plane,” Pesaturo said.</p><p>Sarasota's Mike Allen also saw the plane circling the Gulf at about 1,000 feet.</p><p>“Then he turned toward the beach and kept getting lower. He leveled off at about 50 feet, flew straight, tilted left, and then cartwheeled into the water. We saw pieces flying off but the pilot appeared OK,” Allen said. </p><p>About 20 gallons of fuel and six quarts of oil were in the airplane, McVay said. Police limited access to the crash site until the Federal Aviation Administration arrived.</p><p>According to an FAA database, the plane is registered to Osprey resident Frank Schurgers.</p><p>Classified as an experimental aircraft, the biplane is a Wragg George Skybolt with a Lycoming engine. It was “amateur built” in May 2003 and has valid air-worthiness certificates.</p><p>The plane was towed onto the beach about an hour after the crash.</p>